Friday, June 29, 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Last month, I had a free weekend in Turkey so I hopped a plane to Antalya and spent the weekend on the beach of the Mediterranean. I'd like to say it was sunny and warm, but it was breezy and cool so I spent more time layered up than I did tanning.

Cool weather or not, it was a perfectly relaxing weekend, plenty of quiet time spent walking along the beach, picking up shells and pebbles.

I even got brave and had my first Turkish Bath experience, an experience I'm sure to be repeating!

Kat introduced me to Ed Sheeran, and I'm so glad she did, here's his A Team.

Monday, June 25, 2012

On our way to Gunlock Reservoir we stopped in Gunlock (a microscopic town) to check out their vintage fire truck. It was incredible looking and given the terrible fire season we are experiencing in the west, I suspect it is having a busy summer.

I don't think I can post pictures of a fire truck without thinking of one of my favorite Ryan Adams songs: Ashes and Fire.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

My goal over the next several weeks is to get through my backlog of photos. I have a ton sitting on my computer that haven't even been looked at. My plan is to organize them, back them up, process them and share a few here, I hope you don't mind a few weeks of travel photos.

My blog has become my journal and photo album/scrapbook, the main place for me to record life. I'm also slowly working to turn my blog into blurb books - one book per year. I finished 2008 late last year, and am now working on 2011 - which I know doesn't make sense, but I couldn't get the photos from 2009 to load to the blurb program so I gave up and moved on.

Have you turned you blog into a book? What service did you use? I was very happy with the result of the first Blurb book I created, but it is a ton of work to put the book together if you don't use their template.

In honor of the slow progress I'm making on my photo backlog, here's Rumer's Slow.

Monday, June 18, 2012

This spring I took a Sunday drive to Gunlock Reservoir in Southern Utah, what a perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday and another reminder of how much I love that part of the world. I didn't go anywhere quite this beautiful this weekend, but I did spend a couple of perfect hours with my sister, pedicures and lunch together was just what the doctor ordered.

I've been listening to the new Snow Patrol and have been reminded all again how much I love them. Here's my favorite track: Lifening.Pin It

Friday, June 15, 2012

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A lyric or line that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspired you.

Delta Spirit's Devil Knows You're Dead, has been on heavy rotation this week on my iPod. Every line is like a prayer for all the good things you hope will happen for those you love.

May the wind be always at your back

And the sunshine warm upon your face

May the rains fall soft upon your field

Until the day we meet again

May good luck find you at your worst

And bad luck lose you at your best

May your days be rich and full of wealth

And your nights be long when you need rest

And the road may it rise to meet your feed

And be downhill all the way to your door

May the grass below be green and the sky above be blue

May it be so forever more

Lyrically, this song is stunning, each line paints a perfect picture and is full of emotion. In my book the songwriter is a genius.

After spending a long weekend with my extended family, I'm feeling very lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life and I find myself praying for blessings like those described in this song in their lives.

My friend and neighbor, Nikki, from The Salty Pineapple has a blog series running this week in honor of Intentional Picnic Day, she asked me to share my tips for a stress free picnic, check out my contribution if you are looking for a super easy idea for your weekend.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

I have a huge backlog of photos to share. I've traveled a LOT more than normal the past 6 months, I've been busy working and I've been teaching Lightroom, all of which have led to a big backlog so get ready for posts that jump around the globe and are full of photos. Today's photos aren't from my trip to Southern Utah last week, instead they are from a trip back in March (which explains the snow on the ground.)

While I was in St George, one of my best friends came down for a long weekend. It was so great to catch up - and to have a friend to do a little light road tripping with. We drove up to Pine Valley on Saturday and spent the night there chaperoning a sorority group (man, did that make me feel OLD.)

Pine Valley is a tiny town, high up in the mountains, close to the red rocks of Southern Utah and yet it feels like you are in another world, one that time has almost forgotten.

I have a feeling this isn't my last visit to this charming town.

If I ever manage to settle permanently (or as permanently as I settle anywhere) I think Pine Valley will become my favorite way to escape the heat of a Southern Utah Summer.

This song was featured at the end of the season finale of Revenge (one of my favorite new TV shows) and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since. Florence and the Machine: Seven Devils.

Monday, June 11, 2012

While I recover from an awesome long weekend spent with my extended family I thought I'd share a few of the odds and ends photos I have left from my trip to Scotland last month. All I can say is I hope I get back there again some day - such a wonderful place.

Amy Ray's Glow made getting up this morning just a little more pleasant.

Friday, June 8, 2012

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A lyric or line that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspired you.

I'm spending the weekend at a family reunion in Southern Utah, and being with the people I love has reminded me how very lucky I am, and had left me feeling very, very grateful for the blessings in my life.

Glen Phillips' song "Don't Need Anything," does a great job of explaining just how I'm feeling.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

On my last day in Glasgow (a rainy Sunday) I headed to Kevingrove, a wonderful and diverse museum. I found out about the museum thanks to an anonymous commenter who gave me a list of things to see and do in Glasgow. Whoever you are - a big thank you. I had the best time.

I already mentioned how moved I was by Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross, but I also loved the architecture of the museum itself and a display on the Glasgow Style an incredible mix of arts & crafts and Celtic.

The floating heads display kept pulling me back. Each time I found a new viewpoint I saw something different and unique.

But the thing I'll probably remember the longest, was two quotes I saw on the walls in the Impressionist gallery:

Elizaveta's "Dreamer", like the quotes above, inspires me to keep dragging the camera out in my attempts to create the kind of photos I see in my head. What is inspiring you this week?
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Monday, June 4, 2012

While in Glasgow I kept finding myself at St George's Square. Partly because it was next to the train station and some great restaurants, but also because I found it beautiful and interesting.

From the Glasgow City Chambers building on one side, to the Ferris Wheel opposite, there is something interesting to look at in any direction. I had planned to tour the City Chambers building, but ran out of time. Something to save for a next visit (my unplanned but hoped for next visit!)

There is something in me that likes to leave one or two things unseen on every trip, I like knowing I have a reason to go back. Do you feel the same way? Or do you always push to see everything on your list with each visit to a city?

I've been enjoying Field Report's "I Am Not Waiting Anymore" this week and it seems like a good way to kick off the week. What are you not going to wait for anymore?
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Friday, June 1, 2012

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A lyric or line that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspired you.

I needed a bit of music last week to keep me focused while I was working on an analysis for work. Luckily I was working from home and could turn up it as loudly as I wanted. I was in the mood for a little Florence & The Machine. Her amazing voice kept me typing along, but I'll admit to replaying on particular song several times that day: All This and Heaven Too.

This time it wasn't necessarily the direct lyrics that drew me in - rather it was the idea of what it would be like to know what it was you wanted above all else, something that you would trade everything to have. I don't know that I've ever wanted anything that badly.